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Saturday, 24 November 2007

Clapshot; a Mash of Rutabaga, Carrots and Potatoes

You know this is not just a seasonal Ontario dish; but also a traditional one, because it's Scottish. Said with the tongue slightly in cheek, but only slightly. At any rate, it's good stick-to-the-ribs stuff, and the three veggies blend together so well, you might think them some new, unknown one, that you wish you had encountered earlier. Obviously, the actual quantity of vegetables used is less important than the fact that the quantities of each should be roughly equal.

Peel the rutabaga, and cut it into slices. Put it in a large pot with plenty of water and bring it to a boil.

Peel the carrots, cut them into chunks, and add them to the rutabaga when it has been boiling about 10 minutes.

Peel (if you like - I don't bother) the potatoes and cut them into chunks, and add them to the pot when it has been boiling for a total of 20 minutes. Boil for another 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are quite tender.

Drain off most of the water - I leave about a third of a cup in the bottom of the pot for moisture. Mash the vegetables with the butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

I usually serve it forthwith, but the friend from whom I received this recipe used to mash it very finely, beat in an egg, and put it in a buttered casserole dish. (She did peel the potatoes.) It was then reheated in the oven, until lightly browned around the edges.

In the Netherlands this is called stampot (pronounced stawm-pote) and is made with a variety of different things mixed with the potatoes. Cooked kale is often used, sauerkraut, raw endive and bacon, and the carrot and rutabaga you mentioned.